It’s the hustle and bustle time of year again! Football, basketball and hockey games, shopping, cards, parties, decorating, concerts, travel and end-of-year business deals coming at most of us like the driving snow during a New England Nor’easter! All this activity can be fun and sometimes exciting, and it can also be a drain on our systems physically, emotionally and financially.
We call this season, the “holiday season.” I think about that and wonder why holidays should feel so stressful and rushed. I sometimes believe that “holiday season” should be renamed to “hustle and bustle season.” Have you ever felt as if they came and went in the blink of an eye and then let down because they were suddenly in the rear-view mirror instead of still being ahead along the road home? If not, you are likely in a small minority. It is natural to feel let down after birthdays, significant events and celebrations that you look forward to and then they are behind you.
Our feelings naturally occur and come from within us in a place that doesn’t have any knobs or switches to regulate them. We are always in react mode regarding emotions. So, how we respond is essential when it comes to the impact of the letdown after the hustle and bustle season. If we allow our feelings to overcome us, we can become depressed, irritable and irrational. And that can cause a deepening of the letdown already being felt. Then you must recover to get back to the more normal and even keel.
In addition to the increased pace and activity of this time of year, there are many stories about family members passing away right about now. I have experienced that myself. That year, our Christmas celebration was as surreal as I have ever experienced. And each year, for at least the next few and sometimes more for others, that memory lingers and stings.
There are also lonely times magnified during the holiday season. If you have ever been alone, you understand. The heaviness of being alone during special days often vacuum the joy out of the occasion.
Add to these conditions, the running around that many of us do to volunteer, attend every party invited to, host our own, go to concerts and maybe even try to get in a few ski days and our plate and cups runneth over. And sometimes the overflow is uncomfortable and even unhealthy.
So, what can you do about it? How about saying no to a few things? That would entail unplugging or simplifying a bit regarding the number of activities you incorporate into your holiday season. Perhaps block out some weekends and just enjoy the season with simple activities like decorating or cooking. You don’t need to win the Good Housekeeping Seal for the best-decorated home to enjoy it. If you don’t have a family, join some friends for some quiet time together or do some light volunteering. A little can go a long way. And there are always concerts available to attend that aren’t stressful and can provide exceptional entertainment.
At work, regardless of your profession, it can be hectic and pressure-packed. As a salesperson, I have experienced that for many years. I would work my tail off to make a sales quota and in the process potentially upset clients, family and myself. For what? A bit of short-term glory is all. Oh, I like to achieve also and did very well with many last-minute deals. But you know what? Come January 1st (the new year) I became a “goat” again at zero percent of quota, regardless of how I finished on New Year’s Eve.
As a sales leader, I learned that the best way to deal with year-end sales pressure was to finish the year by Thanksgiving. That is easier said than done, but if you practice and preach that to team members and prospects, it makes a big difference.
So perhaps this year if your commitments are already locked in, instead of feeling let down in early January, try something different. Take inventory of this past season and then analyze what is good enough to keep and what you can remove in 2018. Focus on planning to take some of the “hectic” out and put some “relaxed” into the next go round. That will give you something more holiday-like for which to look forward to in 2018